The present invention relates to brushes. More particularly, the invention relates to a hairbrush having housed therein a radio receiver for providing audio entertainment during the hair brushing task.
In the past, sound generators or radio receivers have been incorporated into a vast array of devices for personal entertainment or even to encourage proper habits through reward. Although proper maintenance of the hair is important for general hygiene, however, there has been very little development toward the incorporation of audio devices into hairbrushes or the like. Because the task of hair brushing often involves water and/or other hair care products, the incorporation of electrical devices has previously been limited to simple devices that are easily sealed within a brush structure. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,924,159 issued Jul. 20, 1999 to Haitin (xe2x80x9cHaitinxe2x80x9d) discloses a brush having a sound generator that rewards brushing movements of a certain speed, force and duration. Haitin, which is limited to very simple output, however, does not extend to the incorporation of more sophisticated entertainment providing structures. Likewise, U.S. Pat. No. 4,641,014 issued Feb. 3, 1987 to Bland (xe2x80x9cBlandxe2x80x9d) discloses a hand held hair dryer with a housed radio receiver. The dryer of Bland, however, does not contact wet hair or flowing water and thus does not include those features necessary to the incorporation of a radio receiver within a hairbrush.
It is therefore a specific object of the present invention to incorporate a radio receiver into a conventional hairbrush, whereby the user may have the benefits of audio entertainment to relieve the tedium of hair brushing notwithstanding the generally incompatible environment presented by the task. It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a hairbrush in a compact and convenient form that is also economical to produce.
In accordance with the foregoing objects, the present inventionxe2x80x94a radio hairbrushxe2x80x94generally comprises a body, having a plurality of bristles dependently secured thereto; a handle; a radio receiver integral with the body; and an audio output device. The radio receiver is contained within a cavity internal to the body and all controls for the radio receiver are sealed to prevent the ingress of fluids to the cavity. Preferably, the controls include at least an ON-OFF control for the radio receiver and a volume control for controlling the level of sound generated by the audio output device.
In at least one embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of orifices through the body are positioned adjacent to the audio output device for allowing the emanation through the body of sound waves emitted from the audio output device. In this embodiment, a flexible membrane, such as a thin, plastic sheet, is interposed between the audio output device and the orifices to prevent the ingress of fluids through the orifices to the cavity.
The handle preferably comprises a compartment adapted to retain a power source, such as one or more batteries, for the radio receiver. The handle further comprises a removable cap, for allowing access to the compartment for placement and/or removal of the battery or batteries, which is adapted to form a watertight seal to the compartment. In at least one embodiment, this seal may be achieved by placement of a gasket, O-ring or other like structure adjacent to or within the cap.